William b



('Model.)

W. B. RUNYAN.

V Timber Crib. No. 237,909. Patented Feb. 15,1881.

W. 0 cm INVENTOR: c2. 6/ w Wax J/ J, BY MM ATTORNEYS.

N4 PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WILLIAM B. RUNYAN, OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

TIMBER-CRIB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,909, dated February15, 1881. Applioation'filed December 6,1880. (Model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. RUNYAN, of Pensacola, in the county ofEscambia and State ofFlorida, have invented a new and ImprovedTimber-Crib, of which the following is a specification.

For loading timber-vessels the timbers are ordinarily bound together inthe form of rafts with dogs and chains and towed alongside the vessel,and in many harbors this practice results in serious loss of timber fromthe breaking apart of the raft by the heavy seas, and the consequentloss of dogs and chains, and in increased expenses of various kinds.

The object of this invention is to prevent these losses and consequentexpenses by providing a strong frame-work or crib in which the timber isclamped for safe towing in bulk.

The invention consists of a rectangular crib or cage composed of timberssecurely fastened together, provided with series of crossclamps operatedby screws and nuts for holding the contained timber in place, one end ofthe crib being hinged, so that it may be opened for loading andunloading, the hinged end or gate being provided with a roller tofacilitate the moving of the timber, as will be hereinafter set forth.Where three lengths of lumber are to be put in, both ends of the cribare to be hinged for convenience of loading.

Figure 1 is a plan of the crib loaded, with parts broken away to exhibitother parts, and with the gate open. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionalelevation of the same on line an ac, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional endelevation 'of the same on line 3 y, Fig. 1-.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A A represent, respectively, the top and bottomlongitudinal timbers of the crib; B B, respectively, the top and bottomcross-timbers; G, the vertical side timbers; and D, the rear endtimbers, all of which are secured together by mortise and tenon, boltsand pins, or in any other suitable manner.

E E represent screw-threaded vertical bolts or rods, .passing downthrough the longitudinal side timbers, A A, and operating to hold I thecrib more firmly together, and these bolts or rods E E are especiallydesigned for holding the cross-clamps F F, through whose ends they pass.The clamps F F are stout wooden strips having iron strengthening-bands aat around their ends. They are designed to secure the layers of timbersT, thatiare loaded into the crib separate from each other, being helddown thereon by nuts G G that run on the screw-bolts E E. The hooks H,fastened on the central longitudinal timber, A, are designed to holdsaid clamps F up when thecrib is being loaded, until the said clamps Fare required for clamping the successive rows of timbers, and also tohold said clamps up as they are removed from the clamping position whenunloading the crib.

A gate, I, is hinged to the front ends of the timbers A, so that it maybe let down in a horizontal position, that the lower tier of timbers, T,may be readily floated into the crib. This gate I is provided with atransverse roller, L, in its upper part, to facilitate the loading andunloading of the crib, and said gate I can be raised and held at anydesired angle by the chains M, that'are made fast to staples b in theupper side timbers, A. When said gate I is ,closed it is locked byturning the metal caps N N down over the tops of its vertical timbers,said caps NN being pivoted on the front ends of the timbers A. In thedrawings, the side caps N N are shown as provided with projecting eyes 0for the attachment of the towing chains or ropes; but these eyes 0 maybe as conveniently placed in the ends of the timbers A.

A crib for ordinary use is designed to be from one hundred and fifty toone hundred and sixty feet long, and about forty-five feet wide forthree lengths of timber, and four rows deep, carrying an average ofthree hundred pieces hewn timber, averaging about twenty two inchessquare by fifty feet long. The clamps F are designed to be about fourinches thick and nine inches wide, and to be banded on the ends aboutone-third of the way with three by one-half inch iron. When. the crib isfortyfive feet wide, or thereabout, a central set of screw-bolts, E E,may be used.

In order to introduce the-timbers T into the crib,the crib is run intoshallow water or raised sufficiently to float the first row or flooringof timber T in, and when this first row is in, the

lowest clamps, F, are lowered and screwed down by the nuts G G, whichwill have the effect of raising the whole crib bodily to nearly a levelwith the first row of timber. Then the second row is put in and clampeddown. It will then be necessary to use a tackle and blocks to raise andintroduce the timbers for the other rows, as they will have to beelevated from one to two feet out of the water.

The crib, when loaded, serves as a good breakwater when alongside oranchored in front or astern of a vessel, and its use assures safety andeconomy in loading a vessel and in towing, and it also obviates thenecessity of boring the ends of timbers for connecting them in raftswith dogs and chains.

I do not confine myself to the precise construction of the crib asherein shown, as it H, and the hinged gate I, as shown and (le- 0scribed.

\VILLIAM BELL RUNYAN.

Witnesses:

M. P. DE Rionoo, JAMES WARREN.

